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Post by billiambabble on Nov 9, 2014 20:19:46 GMT -6
Just wanted to share some pics of an A5 booklet print-out I made of DD. This saddle stitched emergency pack of booklets (which sometimes rubbed against a T&T ruleset) got me through a particularly tough time. I love "complete" concise portable rules - and of course who knows when suddenly a group of players may appear and demand a DM for an old-school campaign? (This never happens to me by the way, but if it did, oh yes, who'd be smug, then...) After a year of carrying around S&W Wb, T&T5 and Holmes Basic, - I temporarily switched to carrying the DD books with 1e & 4e T&T (which are half the size in A5 format). Inline attached photos:    Please excuse the cleric doodle.  Recycled from a babbling post on my underused blog. adventuresandshopping.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/gms-day-sale-2014-odnd-methadone-and.htmlThanks for making the PDF free btw.  Compared to the £200 a couple of sellers wanted for the OD&D anniversary reprints DD fulfills my needs very well. (Naturally I haven't got around to actually playing, yet...) |
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Post by waysoftheearth on Nov 9, 2014 23:09:30 GMT -6
Very cool billiambabble This reminds me that a while back I showed up for a D&D game only to find the DM couldn't make it. So I ran in impromptu scenario for the other players with no rules, no map, and no preparation; nothing but a pencil and a few dice. It went okay, but if only I'd had your emergency pack on hand  |
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Post by billiambabble on Nov 10, 2014 16:58:49 GMT -6
That's pretty impressive. You'd need a fairly open minded group to go along with that. Pencils, dice and a whole lot of imagination should be all we need! (Until someone starts getting technical about spells and saving throws...) |
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Post by Merctime on Nov 10, 2014 21:29:36 GMT -6
Man, this is great stuff! I love the cleric 'doodle' too, btw... If that's doodling, I'd love to see art!
What kind of paper did you print these on?
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Post by billiambabble on Nov 12, 2014 15:39:13 GMT -6
Just A4 photocopy paper in a Canon inkjet (for the first time in my life I have a printer which doesn't screw up double sided printing!). Then folded into A5 booklet size, which I guess is fairly close to US "digest" size. I wish I could draw people / adventurers /humanoids better - then I could make money from printable line-art figures! The cleric is third level -I think if I ran a campaign I'd go easy on new players by letting them start with 3rd level characters, unless they were paying for lots of hirelings - which I now realise is a staple of low level play perhaps (?). I'm warming to the idea of EPT slaves - torch-bearers and treasure carriers and so forth, not to mention a couple of surly mercenary men at arms. |
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Post by Merctime on Nov 12, 2014 15:43:49 GMT -6
((A bit off-topic of the OP, I hope you don't mind!!)) I absolutely LIVE for hiring mercenaries, and, importantly, retainers/henchmen at every opportunity. Not only do they increase survivability in my opinion, but also 'player power' if you will (note: I am not a 'munchkin' type, though). Henchmen specifically because they will hopefully become very loyal lieutenants and captains and bishops at one's keep in later levels! I love 'end-game' style domain play; Especially with the benefit of a hireling who's been leveling right alongside you! I didn't start with OD&D I'm afraid. So I can't speak for someone during that timeframe. BUT. As a person who started with either Holmes or B/X (it's been so long, I can't remember which!!) back in the day, it's definitely the way I played over 25 years ago! ...Now to be back on-topic. Can you 'hook a brother up' and let us know where you got that great cleric drawing? |
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Post by billiambabble on Nov 17, 2014 21:53:21 GMT -6
Staying on off topic henchmen and hirelings, I really feel that I've missed out on a whole gaming experience. My first games were with D&D Basic (Mentzer) although friends had the Moldvay/Cook B/X but I had been introduced to fantasy gaming through solo gamebooks so even the concept of an adventuring "party" as opposed to single protagognist hero was taking me a while to get my head around. Also my playing groups were small: a DM plus four players tops, but then the paid-for scenarios would have taglines like "suitable for 6 to 10 adventurers"! Maybe there would be the occassional NPC "guide" or patron, especially useful when convincng the players to stop deviating too far from a main quest hook. "Olaf says the gnolls went West" Looking through different rulesets, hirelings and henchmen seemed to become more sidelined on each publication (it could be my interpretation,). I'm sure that there are many threads here on party sizes and henchmen. Reading the "Klytus I'm bored" thread has been very illuminating. One imagins that OD&D could be played employing a squadlike scrum of adventurers with a handful of mercenaries squeezing themselves down passageways,weapons poking through from the second row, magic users moving to the front and ducking back, into the safety of the miniature crowd. It's a far call from myself and a friend taking out a couple of goblin guards and then hobbling back to town to heal up. My instinct also tells me that low level D&D isn't necessarily like the DCC "funnel" adventure, which sounds more like Paranoia in terms of the player death toll being part of the fun. I like investing emotionally in characters from the start, but I also accept that thrill comes with risk. As a DM I was way too soft on my players, I think I loved the campaign narrative too much, at least I wanted the heros to win (sort of, I didn't realise how vain this was and how restrictive my adventures were). Nowadays I'd love to trial moral dilemmas and maybe open up possibilities - sandboxing as well perhaps. What happens if the players kill a bunch of innocents by mistake? What happens when they turn the quests down or kill the wealthy benefactors? In T&T they talk about "stables" of adventurers, which reminds me of save files in modern games, but I can't imagine playing enough games at the moment to be trying a different class and race in every game. I think the henchmen and hirelings rules must increase survivability of PCs just enough to let a player build a personality over a few sessions. The PCs may not be heroes at 1st and 2nd level, but with a little gold and charisma they can still be are leaders, captains and managers and that has to add something to the roleplay perhaps?
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idrahil
Level 6 Magician
The Lighter The Rules, The Better The Game!
Posts: 398
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Post by idrahil on Nov 18, 2014 9:38:41 GMT -6
Nowadays I'd love to trial moral dilemmas and maybe open up possibilities - sandboxing as well perhaps. What happens when they turn the quests down or kill the wealthy benefactors? In response to this specific question, I make use of NPC adventure parties that go out and follow up on rumors as well. Usually while my players are off on an adventure, the NPCs have gone off and cleared some other dungeon or retrieved some other treasure. Once or twice they cross paths.... |
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Post by Merctime on Nov 18, 2014 20:24:45 GMT -6
You know, I've read this a few days ago and have been meaning to remark on it for some time now. I think it's time Staying on off topic henchmen and hirelings, I really feel that I've missed out on a whole gaming experience. My first games were with D&D Basic (Mentzer) although friends had the Moldvay/Cook B/X but I had been introduced to fantasy gaming through solo gamebooks so even the concept of an adventuring "party" as opposed to single protagognist hero was taking me a while to get my head around. I, too, feel like I've missed out on alot of the experience of gaming that I now love, the oldest kind, the 1974 kind. Thank God for these boards... Now I can! Bill, you are not alone here Also my playing groups were small: a DM plus four players tops, but then the paid-for scenarios would have taglines like "suitable for 6 to 10 adventurers"! Maybe there would be the occassional NPC "guide" or patron, especially useful when convincng the players to stop deviating too far from a main quest hook. "Olaf says the gnolls went West" Looking through different rulesets, hirelings and henchmen seemed to become more sidelined on each publication (it could be my interpretation,). I'm sure that there are many threads here on party sizes and henchmen. Regarding my own groups, I recall many a time when it was just myself and my cousin to play, or myself and maybe two players. We were a bit nonplussed about party sizes too... We just made do, though. But I definitely get you on this one! I've made quite a use out of 'guide' type npc's in my day, too. Only recently have I gotten really, really into henchmen... But I've always been interested in domain-level play. Reading the "Klytus I'm bored" thread has been very illuminating. For you and me both, brother! One imagins that OD&D could be played employing a squadlike scrum of adventurers with a handful of mercenaries squeezing themselves down passageways,weapons poking through from the second row, magic users moving to the front and ducking back, into the safety of the miniature crowd. It's a far call from myself and a friend taking out a couple of goblin guards and then hobbling back to town to heal up. I think it was on the K&KA website where I read a post that blew my mind. It was a post of some fellow who was talking about adventures being more like 'expeditions'; The players establishing large wagon-trains of supplies and dozens of camp-followers and mercenaries, to bring to the dungeon site and set up a camp outside of it! From this base, the players would delve, come out, rest and resupply in the wilds, and delve again until they wagon-trained back. Some left henchmen up top to act as sergeants and lieutenants of the campsite above, to keep it safe from above-ground wandering monsters. I am so in love with this idea! I like investing emotionally in characters from the start, but I also accept that thrill comes with risk. As a DM I was way too soft on my players, I think I loved the campaign narrative too much, at least I wanted the heros to win (sort of, I didn't realise how vain this was and how restrictive my adventures were). Not sure I'd agree with you on this being 'vain', but to me, the way I am today? The 'Story' is what happens AFTER the game session... AFTER all the exploits of adventure... And is not to be 'written in' to it from the very beginning. In my opinion, writing it into the beginning just makes it harder on the DM: It kind of makes him take all of his ideas from one box (the pre-written story) and doesn't allow to much leeway or lateral thought outside of that box. This is my opinion these days. And, for sure, as a player, IF I play well enough to survive for a few levels... Man, do I have a story to tell you!!! Nowadays I'd love to trial moral dilemmas and maybe open up possibilities - sandboxing as well perhaps. What happens if the players kill a bunch of innocents by mistake? What happens when they turn the quests down or kill the wealthy benefactors? ...Whatever the DM feels that the repercussions are for those actions, in my opinion! See, to me, that is the 'freeing' aspect of old-school DMing. You only give the players opportunities... THEY make the call. THEY rush out to adventure, or don't. THEY make moral decisions, or THEY face the consequences. The DM is just there to adjudicate In T&T they talk about "stables" of adventurers, which reminds me of save files in modern games, but I can't imagine playing enough games at the moment to be trying a different class and race in every game. ...Unless that game is sufficiently challenging... There may be enough deaths from 'oopses' on the player's part or just a bad die roll that it won't be long before another character is rolled up! Certainly, after a bit of this, player and DM skill will increase to the point where people's character's begin to survive more and for longer. I think the henchmen and hirelings rules must increase survivability of PCs just enough to let a player build a personality over a few sessions. The PCs may not be heroes at 1st and 2nd level, but with a little gold and charisma they can still be are leaders, captains and managers and that has to add something to the roleplay perhaps? I think these are good points. I certainly believe in henchmen for survivability, and of course for player power as I spoke about above. Characters can definitely be leaders, of course considering charisma and how the player plays them, and gold too haha... I mean, the level title of a 1st level Fighting-man is "Veteran". This denotes the experience to lead! And, sure, character's don't start out as heros... But enough good play on the players part... And they can become them through great deeds and high adventure! Sorry for the huge post. But I got the idea you were pouring yourself out to us with it, and really believe you should see something in return for such a bold effort on your part. In any event, Fight On! -Tim ("Merctime") |
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Post by billiambabble on Nov 22, 2014 21:00:35 GMT -6
Thanks for replying, Merctime and Idrahil. Like you say, thank the gods for forums like these! You've given me plenty to think about. Discussing rules or just campaign styles trigger grand thought experiments, which are not quite as rewarding as actually playing, but are very intriguing nonetheless. I love the idea of the wagon train parked outside the dungeon and it certainly works well in a milieux where adventuring as a recognized career - as does the idea of competitive parties. The younger player in me would have frowned a little at that - as if somehow it was almost metagaming when a game references itself (if that makes sense), but it could be no different from rival gangs or rival explorers and history is filled with those. Back to the wagons, I remember getting very excited about the treasure carrying mule in DungeonSiege when it first appeared. PCs deciding whether or not it's worth going back into the dungeon for that gold throne, especially considering it has to be carried over the chasm. Did we hire a rope bridge builder? Thanks again. |
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Post by billiambabble on Nov 22, 2014 21:08:56 GMT -6
...Now to be back on-topic. Can you 'hook a brother up' and let us know where you got that great cleric drawing? I forgot to answer that. It's my own drawing. I can just about draw characters if they are wearing capes and armour (I'm more confident with maps and floor plans) His feet are wrong, he'd fall over backwards, I think. I have a rule when drawing adventurers, they must all have oversized packs. (Especially when without henchmen, torchbearers, hirelings or mules...)  |
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Post by Merctime on Nov 22, 2014 21:15:04 GMT -6
That's YOUR drawing?!?!?!
ITS AWESOME. No kidding!!! Great job!
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